Raspberry Kids - fresh, healthy, fun

Shopping with my 6 and 3 year old is painful experience.

I hate to say this, but it's true. The one good thing that has come from my past experiences shopping with my boys is the love I have developed for online shopping!

I can happily sit at my desk, coffee in hand and anytime of day and easily browse the latest and greatest without junior 1 and 2 whining impatiently, "mom can we go now?". Everything from toys, clothes, electronics, and more. They are all easily accessible with a few clicks of my mouse and a few taps on my keyboard. I have found my shopping heaven.

Enter Raspberrykids.com

Raspberry Kids is a purveyor of fresh, healthy and fun products for the little ones in your life. Whether you are a Mom or Dad to-be, a veteran parent or a savvy gift giver, the Raspberry Kids collection has something for you. We have spent countless hours scouring the world of all things children and are pleased to bring the best of the best of our findings to you. Teething babies will not be the only ones drooling over our product line up.

Find your favorites under tabs such as; wearables, playtime, rub-a-dub, let's eat, gifts to go and just4u! Raspberry Kids offers a wide variety of fresh, healthy & fun products and they strive to continuously add more products to keep them on the forefront of children's clothing, gifts, gear and accessories.

Make sure you take a moment and surf on over to Raspberrykids.com, you'll be happy you did!

In my shopping heaven,

Susan

Snow, snow go away, come on back another day.

I actually think this white stuff is great. Emma, Sofia and I have had a blast playing in the snow. I have been using my muscles to dig our driveway and keep the sidewalks clear and have managed to do this all without putting my back out. However, I really miss my daily workouts with the gang of moms at Stroller Strides. It has taken me years to get to the point in my life that I feel the need to workout daily, but I really do. This snow has put a bit of a hitch to my kind of outdoor workouts. You would think that after teaching 5 classes a week I would relish the break but to be brutally honest, I love it and look forward to getting back to seeing my moms in a few weeks time. I can’t wait to start running again and watching the days grow longer. I have already begun my New Year's resolution of 5 fruits and 5 vegetables a day. So with that said and even though the landscape is stunning I can’t wait to be able to glide smoothly over some pavement in my running shoes. Hope everyone joins me in a healthy and happy new year.

In good health,

Anne-Louise

Lotuswear: Yoga Inspired Active & Casual Wear

If you have been to any Stroller Strides Richmond classes lately, you'll see the instructors and moms decked out in active wear from Lotuswear.

Lotuswear is a locally owned & operated Vancouver company - something you don't see too much of these days. They provide yoga-inspired active wear for women and men. Besides offering a great line of products, Lotuswear believes in business practices that are socially and environmentally conscious.

Lotuswear is all about choice, the spectrum of colour, the design and sustainable fabric are as diverse as the people who buy Lotuswear.

Lotuswear has locations all around the lower mainland, the most convenient for our moms is located at Richmond Centre Mall.

Along with a diverse line of yoga-inspired active wear comes two new lines, Lotuswear Run and Lotuswear Golf. The Lotuswear lines are all about uniqueness and diversity, make sure to use the links and check them out, or better yet, drop by one of their stores and make yourself happy this holiday season with a purchase from them.

Mom Friendly Run Group set to start in January 2009

Stroller Strides Richmond has just announced that its moms-only running group will start a new program on January 19, 2009. The program will run each Monday night for 12 weeks with the goal of those moms completing it will be to run a 10K in April.

The Stroller Strides Mom Run group is a non-intimidating and supportive environment for moms to safely train using a slow & gradual progression of walk-run intervals.

If you are interested in joining the group please consult our Stroller Strides Richmond website for more details or contact aparry@strollerstrides.net.

Lean Mommy

Stroller Strides Richmond is excited to announce the arrival of a new class! Lean Mommy will start in Steveston on January 7, 2009. More than 25 moms have already registered for this class and they will be starting the new year on the right track to healthy eating & exercise.

The class will be taught by Anne-Louise Parry, a BCRPA Certified Group Fitness Instructor who specialized in pre and post natal fitness. The class will entail a 45 minute power circuit and end with a core-strength section and a stretch.

At the commencement of the program, the participants will be weighed and measurements taken at chest, hips and thighs. A photography will be taken at the start and finish at the end of the 12 week session. Each of the mom participants will keep a diary and will be accountable to their Lean Mommy partners for their actions each week.

Check back on the Stroller Strides Richmond blog for updates on how the Lean Mommy's are doing! If you are interested in the class, you can check out the Stroller Strides Richmond website or email aparry@strollerstrides.net for more information.

In Stride,

Susan

Pinky Blue

It has to be one of the coolest baby & kids stores in Richmond and it's a Lulu Ladies & Babies Powered by Stroller Strides FAVOURITE!

Pinky Blue Children's Boutique can be found tucking into The Blundell Centre Shopping Mall at the corner of Blundell and No. 2 Road in Richmond.

The owner of this hip shopping destination is Vanessa Uribe, a Richmond mom of two girls. Vanessa and her staff work tirelessly to search for great gifts, useful gadgets and clothes that are to die for.

From clothes, accessories and footwear to feeding, bath & gear for mom, you will find it all and more at Pinky Blue. They have a wonderful section of natural and organic products too! We all know how difficult it can be for new moms to actually get out to the store sometimes, by the time you pack up the gear, pack up the baby and get out the door, well... you know how it goes. To alleviate the stress of this, you can just click on over to Pinky Blue and shop with their user-friendly website.

If you haven't ever had the opportunity to shop at Pinky Blue, make sure you stop in and find out what you have been missing. Tell Vanessa the Lulu Moms say hello!

Heart Healthy Fish & Chips

We really are so lucky to live in Richmond, either in or a short drive from Steveston, BC - hands down, home to some of the best fish & chip restaurants on the planet.

As much as it would be nice to frequent these restaurants, we know that eating anything deep fried too often is not a good heart healthy choice.

Dietitians of Canada: Women's Health and Nutrition position paper suggests consuming two to three fish meals per week, along with a low-fat diet, for heart health. Although all fish aren't high in omega-3s, they still can contribute important amounts of these fatty acids if they're eaten regularly.

With this recommendation in mind and this recipe in hand, you can still have your regular fix of fish & chips, by just revisiting the preparation method to make it a healthier choice.

To Prepare the Fish:

1. fish fillet (any type - halibut, cod, salmon are all great choices and easily found at the grocery store).
2. flour
3. egg (lightly scrambled you can use white only if you wish)
4. bread coating (you can use Corn Flake crumbs, breadcrumbs, finely chopped nuts, even a packaged Shake & Bake coating)

Mix together the bread coating with salt & pepper to taste. Dip fish fillets into the flour, shake well to remove excess, then into egg, and finally into the bread coating mixture until evenly coated. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment. Cook 12-15 minutes until cooked through and golden.

To prepare the Chips:

1. Potatoes, Yams or Sweet Potatoes - or a combination thereof.
2. Olive Oil

Scrub and slice potatoes, yams or sweet potatoes into wedges. Toss lightly with olive oil. Arrange wedges in single layer, sprinkle with salt. Cook 45 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp.

So we you get your next craving for fish & chips, remember to give this a try, your heart and your waistline will thank you.

In good health,

Susan

Cute as a Button

With the holidays just around the corner you will need some fun & easy crafts to keep the kiddos busy while they are on Christmas break from school. This one came to me via the Krafty Kids Korner at Not Just Moms.

This particular craft is great this time of year because it's quick & easy and makes a wonderful little home-made gift for friends & relatives.

How to make it: Take heavy card stock or cardboard and cut it into a picture frame or better yet, use popsicle craft sticks or purchase a inexpensive wooden frame from Ikea, The $1 Store or Michael's (they are usually only $1 or $2). Let the kids color or paint it. Then they can glue on the buttons. When finished write "Cute as a Button" on it and then add a cute picture of your child.

Lulu Ladies & Babies Powered by Stroller Strides hosts lots of fun & unique craft playdates where the moms can get together, have a coffee & chat while they make a fun keepsake craft. If you are not already a member, make sure you check us out, just click on the link above.

Here Comes the Rain Again

Submitted by: Anne-Louise Parry, Stroller Strides Richmond Franchisee.

As I sit here looking outside at the dark grey that fills the sky I can only think that the slow season is upon us. Everybody and their dog will use rain as an excuse for not going outside, not walking the dog to not going to Stroller Strides class.

The truth is, we live on the West coast and it is a guarantee that it will rain - but don’t let the world stop. Coincidentally, the diet goes by the wayside this time of year. It usually begins the day after Halloween, especially since most of us bought a few extra bags just in case which ended up not being used and slowly they have been disappearing. Some of those small candies have over 50 calories per package.

Now the season of holiday parties are upon us and more excuses to why we can’t stay on track at this very stressful time of the year. If you know me then you know that I’m going to say; it all comes down to choice. You can choose to let yourself go and wait to get back on board in January with the rest of the world or you can stay consistent. Come to Stroller Strides regularly. It is the best thing that you can do for yourself and for your baby. Besides the hormone release, increase in energy, weight loss, increase strength and stamina, it is a great way to spend time with your baby. All those mom and baby art, music and dance classes are wonderful, don't get me wrong, but you probably spend more time getting ready to go to the class than the class itself. Most mom and baby classes have a structured routine that doesn't encourage adult conversation. At Stroller Strides we encourage it. The more you can talk the further we can walk.

Back to the rain. I love the rain. Since it is on those days that I get the best workouts and you really feel a sense of accomplishment that you can celebrate with a coffee afterwards. Do we want our children to be afraid of the rain? No way! Let them run in the puddles and enjoy this time of year, you need to have a shower after class anyway so give yourself a head start and come get wet with us 4 days a week at Steveston, Terra Nova and South Arm.

In Stride,

Anne-Louise

Smilebox

Like most of my mommy friends, I like to talk about the things I like. I always find that most of the items I buy and the services that I use come from recommendation from those around me, my friends.

A post on our Lulu Ladies & Babies Powered by Stroller Strides message board about Holiday cards led me to this wonderful little site called Smilebox. One of the moms in the group has decided this year to use the Internet to send her family & friends a holiday greeting. She posted something about Smilebox so I though I would check it out and I'm so glad I did!

A little about Smilebox:

Smilebox makes scrapbooking fun, easy and free! Share birthdays, holidays, special occasions, vacations, family time and more in our many fabulous designs. Choose from hundreds of digital scrapbooking layouts from leading designers including Making Memories, K & Co. and design by dani. Just add your photos, words, music, even videos, to make an online scrapbook. With Smilebox, free scrapbooking is that easy! Email your online scrapbook to friends and family, or post it to your blog. So make this a year to remember with Smilebox scrapbooks!

In minutes, I whipped up the Smilebox you see above this post. It was very easy and just took me a few clicks. Take a moment to surf on over and check it out.

When it comes to holiday cards for this year, I still plan to send them out the old fashioned way. But in this day and age of busy schedules and going green environmental movement, I believe that this is a great way to let those you care about know that you are thinking of them this holiday season.

Susan

Being Part of The Team

Submitted by: Anne-Louise Parry, Stroller Strides Richmond Franchisee.

Have you ever had aha moment?

What a gift it is, it’s like a rebirth of energy. I’ve just recently returned from a fabulous Stroller Strides convention in San Diego, CA and it superseded all of my expectations. Since Stroller Strides Richmond is only 1 of 2 Stroller Strides franchises in Canada, I sometimes forget that we really do have the support and encouragement of over 300 franchises to the South of us.

My moment came when I realized how great it was to feel included in a group, to be part of the team. I went down to the convention not knowing a sole and in a mere 3 days came back having made many new friends. These women were so supportive and helpful, so full of energy; I wish it could be bottled up. You never know how that look, smile or touch that you give out freely can affect another person. It made me realize how important it is to make eye contact and make a connection with each and every person I meet. It is a contagious gesture, maybe it’s a Canadian thing?

Tomorrow while you are out and about, give it a try. Hopefully it will change your outlook or even better, someone else’s.

In Stride,
Anne-Louise

We Remember

Remembrance Day is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of past and current members of the armed forces and of civilians in times of war, specifically since the World War I.

I had the opportunity to sit in on my oldest sons Remembrance Day assembly at school yesterday. It took me back to my elementary school days as I vividly remember the solemness of the Remembrance Day assembly. The children were told not to clap or talk out during the assembly to show their respect to those who have given their lives for us in the name of freedom.

A special person from different facets of the community were asked to come to the front and lay a wreath in honor of those fallen. Tears welled up in my eyes when the elderly gentleman that represented the veterans made his way up the the front on the arm of the Principal of the school. Emotions continued as the RCMP officer, dressed in his full red serge marched up the the front to lay his wreath, he stepped back and saluted, it was very moving.

I explained to my children today the significance of Remembrance Day. My youngest, at 3, doesn't quite understand but my oldest who is 6 does. He knows that it is important to wear a poppy and to take a moment of silence to remember the men and women who fought and who are currently fighting for us to keep our country safe.

Today We Remember.

Susan

Send a Holiday e-Card for a Great Cause

The season of giving is fast approaching. Robeez has come up with an easy way to send your family & friends a holiday greeting and give to those in need at the same time. For each of their holiday e-cards that you send, Robeez will donate $5 product donation up to $250,000 worth of shoes to K.I.D.S. (Kids in Distressed Situations). As a bonus to you, each time you send the e-card, you will be entered to win a shoes & socks set! It's an all-around WIN!

Giving a Kid a Coat

This week marks the end of our Lulu Ladies & Babies Powered by Stroller Strides, Give a Kid a Coat, winter coat drive.

As a group of mothers, we understand the importance of keeping your child warm when the colder weather comes upon us. The thought of a child going without a warm coat is unimaginable to many but it's real and as a group we wanted to do something to help.

We asked that each mom in the group either donate a coat that their child had outgrown or maybe even stop by their local thrift store and purchase a used coat to donate. Our goal was to donate 100 coats, maybe we were a bit ambitious at that but I'm one to believe that any donation, large or small, adds up and is significant. The coats were collected at our Stroller Strides classes or Lulu Ladies & Babies social events. They were delivered to Sleep Country Canada who is spearheading the drive on behalf of The Salvation Army.

Through the Give a Kid a Coat Program, we have helped clothe 40,793 underprivileged Canadian children in the past three years. Drop off a coat in any Sleep Country store, during the fall, and it will be distributed to needy children by the Salvation Army. We work in league with the Salvation Army -- and radio stations in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta -- offering our stores as drop-off locations for clothing.

Giving back to the community is an important part of Lulu Ladies & Babies Powered by Stroller Strides. Jump on over to our Favorite Charities page of our website and see what other things we have done to do our part to make the world just a little bit better.

Featured!

Our Stroller Strides Richmond class was featured on The Soapbox Mama blog. Make sure you check out the video (you may just recognize some familiar faces!) and read the article. While you are there check out the article Anne-Louise and Susan wrote for the blog , Making Everyday a Workout For Mom.

The Strength for Motherhood

The Strength for Motherhood

Watch this video when you need a little inspiration as a mom. Stroller Strides helps gives moms the strength for motherhood through friendships, support and fitness. If you are a mom, then you are an athlete. Pass this video on to give your friends the strength.

Tis the Season of Holiday Craft Fairs

With the incessant rain of November comes one of my most favorite times of the year. The Holiday craft fair season! I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for all the unique, obscure gift items. I'm one of those that loves to give good gifts. It makes my day to find something that I know the gift recipient will love.

I'll start with my foremost favorite. The Circle Craft Christmas Market is held each year at the Trade & Convention Centre at Canada Place, 2008 dates are November 11-16th. It is billed as Western Canada's largest and one-of-a-kind gift fairs and they do not disappoint. If you have never had the opportunity to check Circle Craft out, make sure you put it on your list of things to do for this year, I promise, you'll be sorry if you don't. An added bonus, you can print off a coupon for $2 off your show admission.

This year marks the first time the Inspired in the City Baby & Family Holiday Fair will take place. It happens this year on Sunday, November 3rd. 10:00-3:00 at the Steveston Community Centre. The show promises an amazing selection of locally made products and support services for Moms & Families. Sounds like a winner.

The City of Richmond through the local community centres offers a few gems as well. Steveston's Christmas Craft Fair is billed as Richmond BIGGEST fair! This year it takes place on Saturday, November 29th. 10:00 - 4:00. Minoru Christmas Craft Fair will take place on the same day as Steveston, also from 10:00 -4:00. At Minoru, you will not only find unique treasures, you will also benefit the seniors of the Minoru Place Seniors Activity Centre. They are so close, you can visit one, then head over to the next! South Arm will also have it's own event on Saturday, November 15th. from 10:00 - 5:00.

I came across a listing for a Craft Night and Silent Auction to be held at Dixon Elementary School in Richmond. There you can buy from talented local artists and help Dixon School at the same time. This event happens on Thursdsay, November 20th. from 6:00 - 8:30 pm.

So here is to anther joyous season... of craft fair's that is! Happy Shopping.

In good health,

Susan

Halloween Healthy Trick-or-Treat Alternatives

I just love our Lulu Ladies & Babies message board. I love the see the questions and topics that come up, things the moms are thinking about, talking about.

A thread was started by one of the mom members who is doing a little poll this Halloween season. Being in the education industry, this mom is right in the middle of a big "healthy schools campaign." This year, she is going the give the little trick-or-treaters that come to her door a choice. They can either have a goody bag with some stickers and a pencil or candy. She is wondering what the consensus will be on the choice given. What do you think?

My husband read the thread over my shoulder and says... "you better tell her to buy a big jug on vinegar... that is the best way to get egg of the house" Smartie pants.

After reading the thread and some of the replies, I decided to take the healthy trick-or-treat discussion to my Mom Organizer Group, Not Just Moms. With close to 1,200 moms group organizers on one forum, I figured there would be lots of say on the topic and I was right.

Many of the responders applaud the decision to do a healthy alternative. Lots of great suggestions were given.

1. mini pretzel bags
2. mini fruit snacks
3. mini tubs of play-doh
4. pencils, stickers
5. temp. tattoos
6. raisins
7. toothbrush

A few responders were very honest and said the candy is what it's all about. One of the responses read, "really Halloween is all about the candy. I wouldn't do a birthday party without a birthday cake, and it wouldn't be Halloween without candy." I also like the honesty of, "I give out candy, too. Then I pull a little bit out of my daughter's bag for her to have and take the rest to work. Better my co-workers get fat than my kid."

I for one, applaud those who are thinking about this and offering an alternative. My boys have been avid trick-or-treaters for a few years now. We live on a small street, they only visit a handful of houses and still seem to come home with an arsenal of chocolate bars, chips, jujubes, rockets and lollipops. I also still like the idea of candy at Halloween. I am big on tradition and to me Halloween trick-or-treat and mini chocolate bars are entwined in tradition.

So if any of you end up at my house this Halloween eve, you will find me at the door handing you a mini Kit Kat AND a small tub of play-doh. I just don't want to have to get out the big tub of vinegar.

In good health,

Susan

Blog Action Day 2008 - Poverty

Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

One Issue, Thousands of Voices

Global issues like poverty are extremely complex. There is no simple, clear answer. By asking thousands of different people to give their viewpoints and opinions, Blog Action Day creates an extraordinary lens through which to view these issues. Each blogger brings their own perspective and ideas. Each blogger posts relating to their own blog topic. And each blogger engages their audience differently.

It's hard to image sometimes that poverty actually exists in Richmond. I look at the people around me and sure, sometimes money is tight, we all scrimp & save at times but I hate to imagine someone in Richmond living without the basic creature comforts like food, clothing and an affordable roof over their head. According to The Richmond Poverty Response Committee street homeless has reached crisis levels in Metro Vancouver. But the visibly homeless represent just the tip of the iceberg. Over 58,000 households pay more than 50% of their income just for a roof over their heads and are at risk of homelessness. Those statistics are alarming.

The Lulu Ladies & Babies just finished doing a food bank drive for The Richmond Food Bank. Over $210.00 cash and 7 boxes full of food & toiletries were collected. It never fails to amaze me, the power of a maternal community. We have some other charitable drives going on this winter. We are participating in Give A Kid a Coat, in which our goal is to collect 100 coats to be distributed by Sleep Country Canada through The Salvation Army. We also plan to participate in Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the message of God’s unconditional love. We are not all religious but that doesn't matter. We are making a child who could otherwise receive nothing at Christmas know that someone in Canada loves and cares about them. This charity is particularly close to my heart as my father, as a child in Paraguay, South America was one of those children who received a box at Christmas. The stories he tells and the strong emotions I hear in his voice and see in his eyes make this an important tradition for me to participate in with my family.

I think it become ever so much more important when you have children and the onus for love and care is no longer soley upon you, the individual. Speaking for myself, I feel added compassion like I never did before I was a mother. It is important for me to give, to share what I have. Big or small, all the contributions and efforts to assist in poverty help. I am so proud to be part of this wonderful group of mothers in our community who take the time to give and share.

In good health,

Susan

Mompreneur Spotlight! - Candy Berg

A mompreneur is a newly coined term for women who establish businesses at home while also acting as the full time parent of their children. The mompreneur movement is one steadily growing as mothers try to find ways to make money, express their creativity or business acumen, and also to parent their children.

The Lulu Ladies & Babies is the "social arm" of Stroller Strides Richmond. With over 150 Richmond mom members, we have a diverse group of women from all facets of life that have one thing in common, we're all Moms living in Richmond.

We love to support our Lulu Mompreneurs and as such, we have a special page on our Lulu Ladies & Babies website dedicated to their business ventures. As part of our Stroller Strides blog, we would like to take the opportunity to spotlight our Lulu Mompreneurs so you can learn a bit more about them, their products and or businesses as well as what led them to their business endeavour.


Submitted by: Candy Berg, Tupperware Rep. and Lulu Mompreneur.

My name is Candy Berg, I’m a Stay at Home mom with two children…Josh is 6 and Karley is 2. I have an Early Childhood Education background, but after having Karley I decided I wanted to stay home with my children instead of returning back to work. A friend of mine encouraged me to give Tupperware a try as she had been successful at selling it a few years ago. I started selling Tupperware 9 months ago and I’m absolutely LOVING it! As a mom I really wanted the flexibility to stay at home with my children and make some extra money! Tupperware as made this all possible for me…I choose when I work and for how long, plus I get the added bonus of buying my Tupperware at a discounted rate!

Tupperware has made a big comeback since the plastic issues in the media, and most people are becoming more environmentally friendly. The fact that Tupperware is a reputable company that has been around for over 60 years makes it very easy to sell. It also makes sense considering it’s good for the environment and saves you money in the long run!

WIN IT!! Candy has donated a Tupperware Prep Essentials™ Lil’ Chopper. It is a great tool for making baby food or chopping up other products while cooking. It would be useful for those who are making their own baby food, you can can even take it with you in a diaper bag or if you are eating out, this way you can prepare some of the food that you are eating right at the table for your child. It is also very useful when travelling or camping.

All you need to do is visit Candy's Tupperware Website and find your 3 favorite Tupperware products. Email them to strollerstridesrichmondblog@gmail.com with TUPPERWARE in the subject line and you will be entered to win! Contest will close on October 21, 2008 at 5:00 pm. PST. Winner will be chosen at random from the entries received. Winner must be able to pickup their prize as awarded in Richmond, BC.

Chocolate Milk - Nutrition in Disguise?

My boys (ages 6 and 3) have never been big milk drinkers and I know for a fact from talking to other parents that I am not alone. It's always been a personal challenge to fit more milk into their diets as a way to get their daily dose of Vitamin D and calcium. They are fine with other dairy items such as cheese and yogurt but when it comes to actually drinking the white stuff, they are both a miss.

They do however, like chocolate milk and will drink it at any opportunity given. This got me to thinking, "is chocolate milk and acceptable substitute for traditional white milk?"

I did a little searching around the Internet on the subject and was happy and surprised to find out some information I thought I would share.

Chocolate milk contains the same nine essential nutrients as white milk. Flavored milk provides calcium, protein, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin B12, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin and niacin.

Chocolate milk comes in many varieties, including reduced fat, low fat and fat free. For example, a 1 cup serving of low fat flavored milk has only 2.5 grams of fat per serving, the exact amount as in white milk.

The ingredients in chocolate milk are much less likely to cause cavities than soft drinks and sticky snack foods. Liquids such as flavored milk clear the mouth faster. Some studies suggest that the cocoa in chocolate milk may actually protect against cavities.

The amount of caffeine in chocolate milk is similar to the amount found in decaffeinated drinks. An 8-ounce serving of chocolate milk contains between 2 mg and 7 mg of caffeine. According to recent evidence, the amount of caffeine in chocolate milk is too small to have a detrimental effect on a child's behavior.

Children who consume chocolate milk did not have higher intakes of added sugars or total fat in their overall diet in comparison with children who do not consume flavored milk.

That being said, I am a little more confident to serve the brown stuff. I think that ideally, if your child likes white milk it is a preferable choice but in the event that they don't drink milk at all unless it's that of the chocolate variety, it is a superior alternative to just drinking juice. In the end, the only case I could find against chocolate milk comes with adding any flavour to milk adds sugar and calories to an otherwise healthy drink.

In good health,

Susan

Stroller Strides Moms Run Group Wraps Up 12 Week Training Session

Submitted by: Becky Southwell, Stroller Strides Learn to Run 10K Faster Leader.

I was so disappointed not to make the Run for the Cure this year. I came down with a head-cold the night before and I know I missed out on a great day. Seeing people running in honor of loved ones or seeing the number of women who are bald from chemo under their bandannas or hats is always so touching and incredible. Every year that I’ve done the run I’ve cried my way through and also sailed along for 5K as if I were weightless, inspired by the runners around me.

As the run group winds down its session tonight at Starbucks, it’s got me thinking what the weekly run means to me. The number one thing is the camaraderie. Knowing we are all accountable to each other to show up means I put my sneakers on and head out the door, even on nights when Gray’s Anatomy is on or dinner in the oven smells really good. The run gives us all time to talk, and I’ve gotten to know people better on these runs than I could at twenty play-dates, not having children pulling our attention away means we not only start conversations… we get to finish them! (I was starting to feel like I wouldn’t finish an adult conversation until both children were in school.) Then there’s the accomplishment. Because the routine is structured in such a way that each week builds gradually, we all achieve a huge amount of progress with as little pain as you can experience given how far we go. I love that the group brings together seasoned runners and people looking for a new way to work out. What everyone has in common is a desire to do something just for them, give something back to themselves after all we do for our family and others. Everyone has negotiated with spouses, or moms, or hired babysitters to carve out an hour or two each week just for them and I think that’s really important. It’s like a little date to keep with yourself, and since it’s so easy to blow it off, I think we’re all pretty fabulous for showing up each week.

I would love to see more people join the run group. I think some people don’t see themselves as “runners”. But you don’t have to be a Capital R – Runner to start the program. You can just be a person who is looking to add a Moms-only workout to your week. The slow build in difficulty as the weeks progress means you might surprise yourself. I’m thinking ahead to a few races, particularly the Steveston Ice Breaker in January, which runs along the dyke. I’ll be one of the ‘half-crazy’ entrants braving the freezing cold and earning myself that Starbucks Mochacinno at the end. I hope to see you there.

Becky

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Help us spread the news!

Stroller Strides Richmond Blog wants moms to know about us! We've got a cool Stroller Strides T-shirt and a SPRI XERTUBE® to give away. All you need to do is Share the Scoop!

Forward our Stroller Strides Blog address to your friends then send us an email at strollerstridesrichmondblog@gmail.com with SHARE THE SCOOP in the subject line to tell us how many friends you've shared the scoop with. The winner will be drawn randomly from entries received. Entries need to be received by 24:00 PST October 17th. 2008.

Prize winner must be able to pickup the prize in Richmond, BC. Prizes may not be exactly as shown and have no cash value.

Contest is now closed. Winner is Jenny L. of Richmond, BC

Your Post-Workout Fuel-Up

What you eat after your workout is critical for recovery and can leave you feeling full of energy instead of pooped!

Carbohydrates fuel your body. Exercising with an insufficient amount of carbs in your body will lead to being tired and could potentially lead to injury. Since you can only store a certain amount of carbohydrates, it's important to replace what you used during your workout. Eating shortly after exercise is recommended.

While carbohydrates are your fuel for exercise, protein is like the mechanic who comes in to repair the damage. It is recommended for for those trying to loose weight to increase the amount of protein in your diet. Reason being, when you are reducing your caloric intake, your body will burn protein for energy. Including some protein in your post-workout fuel-up will help repair muscles quicker than carbohydrate intake alone.

Your Top 10 Post Workout Snacks are:

1. Skim milk (not only does it have protein and carbohydrates, it also has lots of water, which will help replace fluids lost from sweating)
2. Low Fat Yogurt with blueberries
3. Bagel with turkey breast slices (add veggies and mustard)
4. Tuna salad (made with non-fat mayo) on whole-wheat bread
5. Banana smoothie - homemade with banana, orange juice and low fat vanilla yogurt
6. Bottled sports drink and a cup of non-fat cottage cheese
7. Orange juice and a handful of dry-roasted soy nuts
8. Low-fat or non-fat mozarella cheese and Kashi crackers
9. Vegetable bean soup and a whole wheat bun
10. Dried apricots and low-fat cheddar cheese

In good health,

Susan

Doing the Dinner Dance

It's a source of contention for all of us, whether you're a stay at home mommy, work from home mommy, work out of the home mommy or combination thereof. Dinner time is a source of stress for us all.

Since school began a few weeks ago, I have been trying very hard to get the family on a strict meal schedule. It's been a mandate of mine to have us eat as a family as much as possible. In the world where we live this is easier said than done. My husband has a wacky schedule which more often than not does not put him at home when the dinner bell tolls. I still try my best to have the boys and I sit together to eat, TV off, distraction free. Being a stay at home mom I have the extra time available to me to shop & meal plan, I type this with a smile on my face in that being said, its rarely the case, I am usually with the rest of you... doing the dinner dance at 4:30, frantically searching through the fridge & cupboards thinking "what on earth am I going to make for dinner tonight?"

A friend of mine turned me onto Kraft 5 Dinners, 1 Bag. With the help of these handy lists and 1 grocery bag full of items, you are able to quickly & easily prepare 5 nights of healthy meals for your family and relatively quick! The meals are all basic yet tasty and I have found some new favorites for our house. You can choose from the Healthy Living Bag, Chicken & Seafood Bag, Chicken & Pork Bag, or Chicken & Beef Bag to mix & match some great new selections. The recipes can easily be switched up to use organic ingredients or lower fat options.

Take a moment to check it out, instead of next time doing the dinner dance, I hope that you are doing a happy dance.

In good health,

Susan

Here we roll....

Welcome to Stroller Strides Richmond, BC (Canada, that is!) official weblog!

Stroller Strides Richmond, BC is run by Anne-Louise Parry and Susan Enslen, both BCRPA Certified Group Fitness Instructors and specialists in pre and post natal fitness. Anne-Louise and Susan started teaching Stroller Strides classes to the moms of Richmond close to 3 years ago. In this short time, we have developed a wonderful program for the moms to have fun, regain their pre-baby shape and most of all connect with other new moms in their community.

Stroller Strides Richmond offers classes in historic Steveston, BC as well as the Terra Nova natural area of Richmond and beautiful South Arm park. The classes are non-competitive and fun for moms off all levels and abilities.

Please join us on our blog journey as our goal is to bring you information relevant to being a mom in Richmond, BC as well as current and informative articles and links for moms interested in achieving a healthy lifestyle and sharing that healthy lifestyle with their children & families.

In good health,

Susan & Anne-Louise